handling ?

[Jbailey]

Hi DV and DON
can one of you tell me if there is a quick fix for my car getting sideways every time I get in both 4 barrels at low speeds?

Johnny

[mr0077]

Johnny, this is kinda fundamental, but if it is consistently getting sideways in one direction, check the wheel alignment, particularly the rear end. That happened with my Shell Valley, every time violently sideways tail right, front left. I eyeballed down the sidewall of the left and right rear tires, and found the rear axle was rotated about 3 degrees to the right of the car centerline.
If that's not it, you may have to get into wheel preloads, etc. if you have a limited slip rear...maybe someone else can help with that.

[Double Venom]

JBailey,

This could be as simple or as difficult as you want to make it.
Mr. .. has a good start - check you rear end clutches. If one wheel is getting more traction than the other the car will "turn". Simple to do really, not very scientific, but can give you a hint anyway.

Clean concrete. We simply use our shop with the nose of the car pointing out the door, with the door open of course. Do a moderate to hard "burn out." Maybe 10 to 15 feet long. Now "read" the pattern. Are both marks basically the same? If one is substantially lighter than the other one, this will indicate the lighter one is not locking up as hard as the other.

Lighter or darker? Look close and you should be able to see the "Tread" marks. Are they consistant from wheel to wheel? If you can see substantial "wiggeling" or difference on one wheel, this is a good indication that you may have a bent axle, or axle tube. (not that uncommon for used rear ends)

On the other hand, lets assume none of the above. Have you got someone that can help you video tape a launch? If so, repeat the above "launch test", only with more room / distance. A drag strip works well for this. Concentrate on the rear wheels. Multiple takes and do both wheels. Then take some shots of the front at launch.

We found that my DV was hooking so hard that the axle was actually twisting for and aft at lauch. The left rear was moving rearward in the tubs, forcing the right rear forward. Reason: We were collapsing the rubber bushings in the control arms. This also caused a pretty good twist at the front end, i.e.; the left front was picking way up, the right front was also lifting, but way behind the left.

Solution: Lower rear control arms were removed, the Ford 250 Truck bushings were punched out and replaced with "Poly" type bushings. We then went one step further and actually "boxed" in the rear lower control arms-eliminating any twist on the control arms. (This took us from a 2.3 + 60' foot times to mid 1.7+ times)
(Thank you Honda engineers for picking this up on the video!)

Again, watching the video's over and over again, we decided to replace the stock upper control arms with adjustable one. We then set the pinion angle to right at 3-degrees. Now the 60' times are consistantly 1.5 or less. AND, the car is launching straighter and straighter.

Finally, after exploding more than one custom built 9", we went with Detroits new "Tru-Trac" rear end. Launching at 4,500 RPM with street slicks, I no longer have to immediately counter steer at launch. The car for every intent and purpose launches absolutely straight, stays straight at the 6,500 speed shift through the gears and pulls a 1.51 / 1.52 60' foot time. Our trap speed went from a high of 123 to 128.

Then we can get into sway bars..........another day.
Hope this helps!
DV

P.s... If you have any way to scale the car, by all means do so. This can tell you volumes about your set up!